Norton Says Every Democratic Senator Now Backs Findings Endorsing D.C. Statehood

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today applauded all 47 Democratic Senators after Senators Tom Udall (D-NM) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) led their colleagues in introducing the For the People Act, the pro-democracy bill for the nation focusing on voting rights, ethics reforms, and fair elections. The For the People Act, which passed as H.R. 1 in the House, contains extensive findings supporting statehood for the District of Columbia. Senate Democratic support of this bill now means that every Democratic Senator supports the extensive findings endorsing D.C. statehood, another historic achievement.

"Only three months into the 116th Congress, Democrats in both chambers have overwhelmingly endorsed D.C. statehood," Norton said. "We appreciate that every single Democratic Senator has officially endorsed the statehood findings. History is being made in the 116th Congress."

This unanimous endorsement of the For the People Act follows Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-NY) unveiling of a sweeping proposal to combat voter disenfranchisement, including restoring the Voting Rights Act, establishing national, automatic voter registration laws, and supporting D.C. statehood. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has also strongly endorsed D.C. statehood and Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) announced that the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, which he chairs, will hold a hearing and markup on H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, this year. The statehood bill has a record number of cosponsors in the House (201) and Senate (32).